What would happen if you could only bid twice per an auction on eBay

[jrr74]

If you could only bid twice per auction on eBay, how would that affect the prices?  I am watching an auction where someone has probably placed a large bid and another person just keeps raising the dollar amount by small increments.  If you want the item, place a bid that you are comfortable with.  I am guilty of bidding 3-4 times on an item, but not in such small increments.  I admire people who put in their max bid and then walk away.  That is who I want to become someday. 

Anyway, back to my question.  Would the prices go up or down on ponies?  For HTF items, I think they would go up.  Meanwhile, more common ponies and accessories would take a hit. 

[RadicalDreamer]

I never understood it. I only bid in the last 10, then 2 seconds with the most I want to spend. Usually win, unless someone has serious padding.

[prancingstag]

I think for most auctions it would be dead until the last hours or so, and then people would come out of the woodwork to put in their one chance. For HTF or rare items the price might skyrocket in the first few hours from someone who REALLY wants it and stave off all other buyers... Or, sellers might start listing shorter auctions that end in under 1-2 days or only a couple of hours, to force people to take a punt while it's available.

It wouldn't affect my buying practices, at least. I keep an eye on the auction, put in my max bid at 10-15 mins before it ends, and then close the window and walk away from the computer until it's over. My maximum is truly my maximum and I stick to it... ebay's alerts that pop up saying BUY BUY BUY RED ALERT LITTLE TIME REMAINING ACT QUICK NOW DON'T LET IT GET AWAY are really overboard and force a false sense of urgency. You're not buying food/water/shelter/medicine, it's just a novelty or luxury item, so it's not a big deal (to me at least) if you don't win the race. I just put in my offer, go make a cup of tea, and come back to see if it's been accepted. There are disappointing losses to be sure but nothing to lose your life savings over.

[Shy Violet]

Hmm interesting question. I don't like putting in my max until the last second in hopes of getting a good deal. I do get super annoyed with people that keep bidding up the price by tiny increments though. I think if everyone was forced to put in their max, prices would go up because you'd try to offer a little higher than it's worth in hopes of winning over other bidders.

[shadowlark]

I never understood it. I only bid in the last 10, then 2 seconds with the most I want to spend. Usually win, unless someone has serious padding.

That's exactly what I do. Never understood the people who bid on something when there's 6 days left...chances are you'll be outbid so might as well wait til the end.

[FantasticFirefly]

I never understood it. I only bid in the last 10, then 2 seconds with the most I want to spend. Usually win, unless someone has serious padding.

That's exactly what I do. Never understood the people who bid on something when there's 6 days left...chances are you'll be outbid so might as well wait til the end.

Ditto. and only what I feel it's worth. if I lose, I lose.

I might throw up a low early bid as a "hey seller, people DO want to buy this! please don't end this early when someone sends you an "amazing offer of $15" to pull it or take it down cause it's not selling. K thanks!"

[Stormness_1]

I never understood it. I only bid in the last 10, then 2 seconds with the most I want to spend. Usually win, unless someone has serious padding.

That's exactly what I do. Never understood the people who bid on something when there's 6 days left...chances are you'll be outbid so might as well wait til the end.

Ditto. and only what I feel it's worth. if I lose, I lose.

I might throw up a low early bid as a "hey seller, people DO want to buy this! please don't end this early when someone sends you an "amazing offer of $15" to pull it or take it down cause it's not selling. K thanks!"

This. I've been disappointed many times before because of items being removed due to having watchers but no bids, so I usually pop in a minimum bid, then come back later to add my max bid. My bids list is almost like my watch list (except I actually intend to buy), and my watch list is for price comparisons on items I'm looking to buy in the future, like research.

[GypsyTails]

I tend to put a low bid in as soon as I find something just to "stake a claim". Sometimes I refrain from bidding on things if they already have a bidder, so I like to be first haha Then toward the end I decide how high I will go. I definitely don't do the "nudge bidding".

[Carrehz]

I never understood it. I only bid in the last 10, then 2 seconds with the most I want to spend. Usually win, unless someone has serious padding.

That's exactly what I do. Never understood the people who bid on something when there's 6 days left...chances are you'll be outbid so might as well wait til the end.

Yup, this for me too. No point driving the price up unnecessarily.

[hathorcat]

Hmmm...see I am not a good or strategic bidder I am that woman at the check out going..."ooooh shiny I ll just add one of those to my trolley...oh look chocolate...yes I need chocolate...wait and a magazine with a hot man on the cover...yup pop that in there as well"...seriously I have no control.

So for me this would be a nightmare And I would either have spent even more on collecting over the years by putting in a ridiculous high bid (probably higher than I should pay) or I would have just a bunch of Sundances and Peachy's hanging out.

I actually think it would lead to higher prices because people would over commit on the basis of "just in case". The same kind of reason BINs are higher in price than auctions tend to be.

[GypsyTails]

So for me this would be a nightmare And I would either have spent even more on collecting over the years by putting in a ridiculous high bid (probably higher than I should pay) or I would have just a bunch of Sundances and Peachy's hanging out.

I actually think it would lead to higher prices because people would over commit on the basis of "just in case". The same kind of reason BINs are higher in price than auctions tend to be.

I totally agree with this!

[Azteca]

Sometimes it depends on the item. I've had this happen where people post listings and have no idea what they're worth, usually mom listings and sell the item dirt cheap on BIN. Happens in Pokemon listings. I always place my maximum bid after i outbid someone or start the auction. If its something like an item you can find in retail but prefer to buy individually to save money you can always find it on eBay. However, if it goes over your limit its better to buy the desired item at retail. e.i. The Wonderbolts set that Hasbro recently released at Target. Three new ponies and three of the mane 6.

[archidraca]

I will put in a "show interest" bid and then come back for serious bidding at the alert with my real bids at 10 secs or less. Sometimes my first bid is just the starting price. Sometimes I go ahead with my max and hope for the best. Both ways have worked.